'Possible case, come as soon as you're able.'

'Or unable..just hurry.'

Ryan sighed closing her eyes and shook her head holding her phone delicately in her hands.

"Is he trying to get you outta work again?" Lestrade smiled coming by dropping off a cup of coffee for her on her desk.

Ryan pierced her lips together and nodded. "I've told him at least five times this week. It's just been 'Ryan I need you to console a dead end client who's husband has been having an affair. or 'Ryan I need you to tell these two little girls to stop crying in my flat.' A genius IQ but does he listen?" Ryan smiled taking the cup and sipping on it carefully. "Thank you by the way.. doing my job for me." She laughed.

"I can still get out of my office now and again. Plus if I didn't get you one I know you would be staring at mine all day."

"You know me so well Greg...I mean Inspector."

"Ryan, we've been over this. Call me Greg. You're my PA not on my quadrant."

"But Inspector sounds so much cooler then Greg." She teased. Greg mocked a laugh through rolled eyes.

"Did you get the list I emailed you?"

"Yes I did and everything is checked off. Laundry has been sent to the overnight cleaners, rescheduled your meeting with the press, made copies of the autopsy photos for the Jenkins case with my eyes closed mind you so those may have come out a tad shaky. Also your Doctor's appointment is scheduled and put in your planner." She said looking at her phone wondering if she should even text Sherlock back.

Lestrade nodded in agreement. "Thank you for all that but I didn't have Doctor's appointment on the list."

"Your mother called to send you a friendly reminder."

"You spoke with my mother?" He asked dumbfounded.

"Lovely woman. She's so worried over you but I think I helped put her mind at ease."

"How do you figure?"

"She invited me to dinner." Ryan smiled typing in a few words but then quickly erased them.

"You're not going are you?" He asked raising his eyebrow in question.

"No of course not. I told her it was a nice gesture but I have a lot on my plate as is. I will be sending her some coconut brownies in the winter." She sighed and entered in 'I'm at work you know.' Staring at her words strangely then erased her words. Slumping back in her chair Ryan covered her face with her hands and tried to recollect herself not going unnoticed by Lestrade.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah why do you ask?" She asked unaware of her actions.

"You're acting funnier then usual." He said honestly. "As your boss I have to ask in a professional manner; is everything alright at home?" Ryan blinked and eyed her phone now gripped in her hands. She let go of it chuckling at her own madness.

"Yes, everything is fine. You know.. Sherlock being Sherlock." She smiled nervously.

"Right.. right." He strode into his office but came back out to her desk. "Is everything alright between you two? Professionally asking of course."

"He has been nothing but professional." Ryan smiled with gritted teeth trying to give Lestrade the sign that everything wasn't alright but Ryan and Sherlock we're being cordial towards one another.

"Ah.. gotcha" he said with a wink. "Well then I should let you be on your way home then. Give Sherlock my best." He said and headed back into his office leaving Ryan more confused then ever. She looked back at him and shook her head as she grabbed her peacoat and purse. Lestrade waved his hand through the glass window happily.

"This is why your mother likes me more then you." Ryan joked to herself and waved back leaving the station.

In the taxi watching the buildings and people of the city streets fly by. The car was silent so it was easy to keep to yourself and just enjoy the view. Ryan's mind seemed clouded by thoughts so she found it hard to put them away on such a day like this.

'What is his problem? It's been a month since he kissed me. I knew that I shouldn't expect anything to arise from this. There is no way that Sherlock would allow mushy kissy kissy romantic BS in his life, he is too pessimistic for all of that.'

She stopped in front of 221B Baker Street looking up at Sherlock's windows feeling as if he was staring at her through the curtains.

'But is it so hard to get some clarity?' she thought and headed in.

"Okay Sherlock, I'm here." Ryan said already in the process of removing her jacket as she made her way up the stairs. "And yes before you ask, it was inconvenient."

"Don't assume I was going to ask you a question." she heard come from inside the flat.

As Ryan made her way through the threshold and flung her jacket over John's chair and placed her purse on the coat rack casually.

"Don't assume I can't predict the future." She joked watching Sherlock's eyes roll from the kitchen table where he was experimenting.

"So what's the possible case?" Ryan asked automatically placing her hands on her hips giving the sign that she's ready to work. Without looking up Sherlock pointed towards the living area completely focused on the work in front of him. She eyed him up and down and bit her tongue. She decided not to bring it up quite yet. Not as if she hasn't already tried.

The Next Morning

'It has been a month now since Ms. Clark has been coming to help us narrow down the perfect case for Sherlock. I feel for her though, poor girl. Though I think that their friendship is now starting to blossom. Whenever a new client comes through the door Ryan is there shortly after willing to help, and Sherlock is texting her constantly.

The two used to be very .. vocal towards one another. I think that they have found a nice medium to live with. To be perfectly honest I do miss it from time to time only when there's nothing on telly.-'

"John what are you typing?" Ryan asked placing her chin on his shoulder overlooking his work. John cleared his throat and shut his laptop clearly embarrassed.

"That's what I thought." she kissed his cheek lightly and placed a freshly baked blueberry muffin in front of him. "Delete it."

"Why? People want to know who you are." John said unwrapping and biting into the baked good.

"People don't know what they want." Ryan laughed and set the dozen on the coffee table. "The world's simply not ready for me."

"John, we have a case at the theater." Sherlock said nearly bumping into Ryan being shook from his concentration. "Oh Ryan. Sorry about that. What are you doing here?"

"I work Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays with you then Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday with Lestrade."

"It's Monday."

"Well I just got a call from Lestrade that he will be accompanying you to the theater case and he asked me to come along."

"And you are coming with out of the goodness of your heart? How very unlikely."

"How could I say no to double pay on my only day off?" She clicked her tongue and shot him some hand guns jokingly. "With Christmas coming up soon and all I want to be able to send my family something good other then a bag of chips and a lottery ticket like last Christmas."

"Oh you were here last Christmas?" John questioned finishing off his muffin.

"No I was in Florida, but on a university budget you gotta work with what you got."

"You didn't go to university." Sherlock said straight away.

"I didn't have much of a budget either but would you want to still rub that in my face while you have the chance Sherlock?"

"Oh here we go." John muttered under his breath as he got up from the desk and grabbed his coat. "Come on let's get a move on so we're not keeping Lestrade waiting."

"Why should I care if I keep him waiting or not?" Sherlock questioned putting on his scarf.

'Other then keeping me waiting for a god damn response..' she thought scoffing and walked past the men and down the stairs.

"So whats this one then?" Sherlock asked John about the name of the next blog. "The Bellybutton Murders?"

"The Navel Treatment." John said with a smile and watched Sherlock roll his eyes and walk just a bit faster away from his friend. Walking down the hall they ran into Ryan and Detective Lestrade.

"There's a lot of press outside, guys." Lestrade brought up.

"Press?" Ryan asked lagging behind a tad.

"Well they won't be interested in us."

"Yeah that was before you were an internet phenomenon. Couple of them specifically wanted photographs of John and you. Also of Ms. Clark."

"For god's sake." Sherlock groaned.

"Way ahead of you." Ryan popped into a dressing room and grabbed herself a Victorian eye mask and placed her hair up in to a high ponytail. While Sherlock grabbed him and John a couple of hats and pulled their collars up.

"Cover your face and walk fast."

"Still it's good for the public image, big case like this."

"Poor man, causing his own death like that. I'm not sure what to think of it all." Ryan said trying to keep up.

"I'm a private detective, the last thing I need is a public image." Sherlock said barging though the doors and pushing his way through the people. Ryan grabbing onto his jacket while they made their way through the flashing crowd.

'This is new. I've never had my picture in the paper before. Maybe I'll send that as a Christmas gift and give my mother a heart attack.' she thought smiling and keeping low next to Sherlock. Ryan also had to admit to herself that she was having fun.

"Here's this months rent Mrs. Hudson." Ryan said with a bright smile, handing her an envelope. "Paid on time."

"Oh thank you deary." Mrs. Hudson hugged Ryan around the shoulders heading up to Sherlock's to clean up. "What's got you all cheery for? Is it that new strapping Inspector I've seen come around here so often?"

"No no... Strapping? No!" Ryan laughed. "I'm just happy that it's a day where I don't have to be anywhere and I can relax. There's just not enough time in the day for PA, Baker and client annalist. Besides Greg's married."

"Oooohh so you have thought about it." Mrs. Hudson exclaimed. "Take it from me deary. Never get involved with a married man. You'll only get your heart broken."

"I haven't thought of my boss in that manner in the slightest." Ryan said helping her landlord pick up some of the obvious trash around Sherlock's flat. "Greg and me are just friends. That's it." Mrs. Hudson placed a hand on Ryan's cheek and smiled pleasantly.

"That's good dear. I just don't know how these boys can live like this." She huffed and picked up a half drunken milk carton. "So distasteful."

"I don't know, when I see a cluttered home, I think of someone who works so hard that they simply don't have the time themselves to clean."

"Oh thumbs!"

"But in Sherlock's case.. he could do with cleaning his own mess. Especially the bio hazardous ones." She said feeling someone come up behind her. She turned to see a short pudge man at the door sweating bullets.

"The door was... the door was... the door..." the man managed and collapsed onto the floor.

Gasping Ryan stood back and slowly nudged the man with her heel just in case this man could be dangerous while Mrs. Hudson yelled out. "Boys! You got another one!"

"So much for my day off." Ryan groaned.

A few moments later when the boys got the nervous man into the clients chair. He described himself in a broken down car near a stream, while he was fixing it he noticed a man out in the fields. Paying him no mind the man tried to overturn the car again but the muffler backfired. The nervous man then noticed that the man out in the pasture was laying on the ground. Going out to check on the fallen man he discovered that the man was dead. Sherlock agreed to take on the case, but with a few conditions.

The next morning Ryan awoke to a round of text messages.

'He is still in my flat. I can hear him breathing from my room.' 'Did he spend the night in my living room?' 'If you allowed that then we need new locks on the doors."

'I'm trying to sleep for once Sherlock, You can at least kick out your own clients.' she wrote laying in bed her eyes drowsy. 'You wouldn't kick me out even if you tried.' she ended with a smiley face.

'Wanna bet? Anyways, come on down John is going to be calling in soon and I need you to distract the client with what ever it is you do.'

Ryan sighed and typed in. 'Are we ever going to talk about that one night?'

Staring at the words and feeling it's gravity she deleted it and rewrote, 'Give me ten minutes.' and sent it off to Sherlock. She flung her legs over her bed and put on some music to keep her from laying back down in the bed. She slipped on a pair of comfy blue jeans and brown heels. Looking in her closet she pulled out one a band tee that hung off her right shoulder. As Ryan was placing her beach waved brunette hair in a messy bun the front door buzzed. She finished up and went down to open the door but noticed Sherlock wrapped in a white sheet. Entering his flat she chuckled. "You have company and you still haven't put on any pants?"

"It's not like he's wanted company." Sherlock said sipping his morning coffee looking back at the laptop. "Go to the stream."

"What's in the stream?" John's voice called from over the speakers. "Oh good morning to you too Ryan. You look nice today."

"Oh Morning and thank you." She said twirling around showing off to John. "I call it rushed for no reason."

"Sherlock, You weren't answering your doorbell." Mrs. Hudson said rushing in to tell him but two men dressed in suits came in and shut Sherlock's laptop.

"His room's through the back get him some clothes."

"Who the hell are you?" Sherlock asked confused.

"Mr. Holmes, Ms. Clark. You're coming with us." The man said roughly. The second man came back into the living room and set the clothes before Sherlock.

"Please Mr. Holmes where you're going you'll want to be dressed." the man said crossing his arms waiting for Sherlock to heed his warning. Sherlock rolled his eyes in annoyance and overlooked the man to see that he wasn't a complete threat.

He then looked to Ryan who was dressed casually and relaxed. Her hair that was not fully combed through and placed up in the messy bun indicated that she was bothered. Where her comfort level of pant that she chose says that she is content. Sherlock deducted to himself. 'She's conflicted.' He looked up at the well suited man and smirked. "I know exactly where we're going."

After a heated conversation with the men Sherlock and they came to a compromise. In the car still wrapped in a sheet Sherlock looked at Ryan who was slightly pink in the cheeks.

"I refuse to be told what to do by an dog loving office worker if you must know." Sherlock breathed.

"Oh you made that quite clear at the beginning of the car ride." Ryan laughed and held her face in her hands letting out a sigh. "What I don't understand is why you decided to go with a white sheet."

"Why? It's my bed sheet. Am I not allowed to be myself in the presence of my own home?"

"Well at this close range between us, I would have at least gone with a darker sheet."

"Well I.." Sherlock said stopping himself and readjusting the sheet. "My apologies but its not like there's something that you haven't already seen."

"I have never seen you naked Sherlock." Ryan said the men in the front seat looking back at her in question. "I have never seen him naked! Turn around you pervs." In crossing her arms, the blush on her cheek was becoming more prominent by the second. Sherlock took notice and turned his body towards her.

"What has gotten you all flustered? You have clearly seen a naked man before in your lifetime. I was clearly stating as such."

"That I should be okay with your nudity and leave it be as we are being whisked off to only you and they know where."

"The Palace." Sherlock bluntly said. "And yes I understand that the human form is strangely considered by popular vote that it is to be sexual and with our past history that you-"

"The Palace?! As in Buckingham Palace?" Ryan said wide eyed and tapping the men in the front seat. "Did I hear him correctly? Are we going to Buckingham Palace?"

"Yes Mme. We are." the suited man said with a small smile.

"Why are we going to Buckingham Palace Sherlock?" She said shocked looking at him.

"We have a client there isn't that obvious?" Sherlock said pulling Ryan back down into her seat. "Are you listening to a word I've said."

"Who would be interested in a Private Detective at Buckingham Palace?" Ryan asked.

"Well we are certainly going to find out now aren't we?" He said looking out the window to one of England's most famous landmarks.

John was escorted through the state rooms to a room with two very beautiful love seats and Sherlock Holmes sitting in his bed sheet watching Ryan peer out of the window carefully touching the silk curtains. John outstretched his arms in question to Sherlock who merely shrugged when he spotted his roommate. He sat next to Sherlock holding his own hands and looking around at the sheer elegance of the room.

"Hello John." Ryan said sitting in between Sherlock and him. Hugging him around the shoulders she asked. "Weren't you traveling?"

"Helicopter." he said clearing his throat. The three sat in silence for a moment before John looked to Sherlock in asking. "Are you wearing any pants?"

"No." Sherlock responded quickly.

"Okay." John said looking the other way but through the silence the three of them looked at one another and laughed.

"At Buckingham Palace. Right." John stated patting Ryan's knee. "I am seriously fighting an impulse to steal an ashtray."

"Oh don't you dare." Ryan chuckled. "Cause I'm stealing these obnoxiously soft pillows."

"Right..." John cleared his throat again. "What are we doing here Sherlock?"

"I don't know."

"Here to see the Queen."

"I hope not. I am the epitome of an American right now." Ryan said tucking in the stray hairs behind her ears. Their attention was distracted when Mycroft Holmes walked into the room.

"Oh, apparently, yes." Sherlock said lightly making the three burst with laughter.

"Just once can you three behave like grownups?" Mycroft asked.

"We solve crimes, she bakes, I blog about it and he forgets his pants." John listed. "I wouldn't hold out too much hope."

"I was in the middle of a case, Mycroft." Sherlock said with a serious tone.

"What, the hiker and the backfire? I glanced at the police report, a bit obvious, surely?" Mycroft said.

"Transparent."

"Time to move on then," Mycroft cleared his throat picking up the clothes the suited men picked out for him and handing them to Sherlock who merely glanced at them.

"We are in Buckingham Palace at the very heart of the British nation. Sherlock Holmes, put your trousers on." Mycroft sighed.

"He's not going to put them on. You know that right." Ryan said leaning forward, taking the clothes from his hands and placing them back on the table.

"What for?" Sherlock simply asked.

"Your client."

"And my client is?" Sherlock asked standing up.

"Illustrious, in the extreme." A voice called from the other side of the room. "And remaining, I have to inform you, entirely anonymous." John starting to stand up and Ryan following his lead. The man looked towards Sherlock's brother with a smile.

"Mycroft."

"Harry." Mycroft extending his hand towards the man shaking his. " May I just apologize for the state of my little brother?"

"Full time occupation, I imagine. and this must be Dr. John Watson, formerly of the fifth Northumberland Fusiliers?"

"Hello, yes." John said shaking the man's hand with a military grip.

"My employer is a tremendous fan of your blog. Particularly enjoyed the one about the aluminium crutch."

"Thank you." John said with a smile looking towards Sherlock to prove that people read his blog.

"And this must be Ms. Rhiannon Clark. Heard so much about you and your baking prowess from Mycroft."

"T-thank you..." she looked to Mycroft wrinkling her brow. "How did you know my.." Ryan said taking his hand shaking it carefully.

"Oh I'm sorry he did state that you do go by Ryan. My apologies." he laughed. "I was simply stating what it says on your work visa."

"No problem," Ryan smiled kicking herself mentally.

"Rhiannon?" John asked under his breath while Sherlock looked her up and down.

"Yes, John." Ryan said through gritted teeth. "Say it again and I'll stop making you breakfast."

"Understood." John said knowing the gravity of the situation if he continued to call her by her full name.

"And Mr. Holmes the younger, you look taller in your photographs."

"I take the precaution of a good coat and a short friend." He said taking in a deep breath starting to walk away. " Mycroft, I don't do anonymous clients. I'm used to mystery at one end of my cases, both ends is too much work. Good morning." and with that he walked away but not before Mycroft stepped on his sheet pulling it down, stopping Sherlock to catch it and Ryan to catch a glimpse of his right hip.

'Now I can see why I can't get over this..' she thought trying to console herself.

"This is a matter of national importance. Grow up!."

"Get off my sheet!" Sherlock yelled gripping the remains of sheet he still had.

"Or what?" Mycroft asked.

"Or I'll just walk away.

"I'll let you." Mycroft threatened.

"Sherlock Please, just put your damn pants on!" Ryan raised her voice seeing Mycroft smile. "Oh don't think this is your victory Mycroft. Your just enough to blame."

Sherlock turned to see her face stone cold serious pick up his clothes and toss them into his arm, minus the shoes which she had politely placed on the ground.

"Who is my client?" Sherlock sternly asked Mycroft.

"Sherlock, there are only so many people in the Royal Family. Take a wild guess. It's not like they can disappear on you if it came down to it." Ryan said crossing her arms and squaring off her hips as if she was ready to pick a fight. "Now go out into the hall and change."

'I hate it when she makes that pose.' Sherlock thought and gathered his clothes tightly in his arm and walked as best as he could out and into the hall.

"Where did you learn that Ryan?" John asked her while she relaxed and sat back down adjusting her shirt.

"I didn't get 'Exceptional Promise' on my visa for nothing." She smiled, watching Sherlock now fully clothed sit where he was. Mycroft and Harry sat across from the trio and poured tea.

"My employer has a problem." Harry said looking at Sherlock needfully.

"A matter has come to light of an extremely delicate and potentially criminal nature and in this hour of need, dear brother, your name has arisen."

"Why? We have a police force of sorts, seven a marginally secret service. Why come to me?"

"Because.. you don't trust your secret service.." Ryan said questionably. "I've been thinking why since we showed up."

"True Ms. Clark. This is a matter of the highest security and therefore of trust." Mycroft answered. "Plus they all spy on people for money." He brought up his briefcase and held it out, Sherlock taking it from him. "What do you know about this woman?"

Sherlock looked at a picture of a woman seemingly in her early thirties, skin that's very well taken care of and professionally done makeup that complemented her facial features. "Nothing whatsoever." he answered his brother.

Mycroft took the picture from his brothers hands carefully.

"Then you should be paying more attention because I wasn't asking you Sherlock." He clarified and handed it to Ryan who looked at the photograph as if it was poison.

"You know exactly who this woman is correct Ms. Clark?" Mycroft asked with delicate words. Ryan took in a deep breath and smiled feeling all eyes on her.

"Yes. I know her." She confessed feeling Sherlock's eyes burn though her the hardest she didn't even dare to look up from the photograph.

"And who is she?" John asked taking the photo from her hands examining it.

"She has been at the center of two political scandals in the last year and recently ended the marriage of a prominent novelist, by having an affair with both participants separately."Harry said as if he were stating it from her resume.

"You know I don't concern myself with trivia." Sherlock asked taking the photo from John. "Who is she?"

"Irene Adler." Ryan said leaning back in the couch. "Also known as 'The Woman'."

AN: BABADUMMMM! I'm excited! Are you excited? SO many questions left to be answered, I can't wait to read everyone's response. BTW Sugarless Tea is up to 109 Faves and 163 Alerts! Not to mention everyone who followed and faved my user profile! Thank you all so much! I never expected Sugarless Tea to do so well!

Also please tell me your thoughts, concerns, hopes and dreams! I would love to hear feedback! Without it I don't know if I am doing a good job or not!

So there are still reviews that I have yet to respond to from Sugarless Tea so without further-ado:

irishsherlocklover66 : I am in search of a proof reader/ Beta to look over my chapters! (Grammar is my number one enemy I swear right next to math.) Thank you so much! Your kind words are uplifting! I don't foresee smut being an issue. If I am to have it in my story then it will flow naturally. But I know what you mean by how it can make or break a story. Thank you again! Can't wait to see your next review.

Princess Mew Mew- I know right! To be honest I really don't care for my last chapter. It didn't flow as well as I would have liked it to, but I tend to over think sometimes so I posted it. But the response was good so I'm happy. I am looking forward to writing Irene! Its gonna be interesting. See you in the next chapter!

Jem Juliette Jewels Jade- I changed Sugarless Tea to be complete. Sorry about that I over looked it because this is the first story I ever had to do that for and It has been so long since I uploaded those chapters that I can't go back and fix the grammatical errors and trust me they haunt my dreams! But seeing how you made it this far through my story I'm glad your here! I am searching for a proof reader for future chapters so hopefully it will get better. Have a good day and I look forward to seeing you in future reviews.

LaFay97 - I get it! I'm fighting an urge to put more baking puns in my story now! Glad you like it and hopefully you get this far to read my response haha!

casper6six6- Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate it! Hopefully I can get your input on this next series.